TIME TO LISTEN TO CHILDREN

Can adults hear what children are saying? Do we need to learn how to listen? Children's needs and rights are being given greater importance in modern society, yet often what children have to say is still not taken seriously by adults. Written in a climate of increasing attention from both the government and the media focusing on children's experiences in education and with the law, Time to Listen to Children addresses how adults respond to children's voices. The authors argue that we can put aside adult authority without abdicating adult responsibility, and listen to children as people with rights, opinions and ideas equal to, but different from, those of adults. Respected professionals present their accounts of listening to children in different settings, including education, art and play therapy sessions, child protection, social services and the law. Focusing on what is special about listening to children as a skilled, reflective yet active experience, this collection should prove a valuable resource for counsellors, social workers, teachers, mediators, advocates, volunteers and parents.